Santiago
by Celestialfae
Summary: AU. lightly based off other gypsy themed stories. While attending a local festival, Sasuke meets Naruko, the lovely gypsy girl and niece to Gypsy King, Kurama. He is then torn between love and royal duty. Will he follow his heart or fall to the pressures of society? Sasu/FemNaru. Rated T for now.
1. Prologue

Hello, my faithful readers and welcome to a brand new story just for your eyes to see. This one has been up in the mental vault for sometime now. It is a gypsy-themed story with all the Naruto characters present. This will be a FemNaru/Sasuke story. I was originally going to do a yaoi version but I decided to stick with the canon version. Some of the characters will be O.C. I will explain more later. I was inspired with the idea when I was listening to Loreena McKennitt's song: Santiago (Dancing Gypsy). This is the result of watching every gypsy-type movies including Hunchback of Notre Dame.

All songs in this fic will be Loreena McKennitt or other gypsy type music.

Disclaimer: The manga and anime version of Naruto do not belong to me. Both are sole property of Misashi Kishimoto. Any historical inaccuracy will not be held accountable by readers.

Santiago: A Naruto fan-fic

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Prologue

Naru's P.O.V.

A trickle of sweat ran down the side of my face. My blue eyes dilated. My feet are cemented to the smooth porcelain floor. Above us is the crystalline chandelier that shone glorious ribbons of light to the beings down below. I was far too scared to be paying attention to the beauty of the entire room. My gaze was focused on the angry red eyes of my uncle. His gaze was not pointed at me though. It was the blonde who looked like me in every way; golden blonde hair, sapphire blue eyes, and light bronze skin. Comforting arms wrapped themselves around my waist. The obsidian eyes of my now fiancé stare at me comforting into mine. It assured me everything was alright even with all the crap in my life.

It did not last as my uncle chuckled. He was both beautiful as he was deadly. With luscious red hair that went down to his lower back in waves, bangs that slightly covered his crimson eyes, tan skin, and long painted fingernails. He was the reason for my sordid life to begin with. He directed his condescending glance over at my father.

"Well I have to say, Minato. I have to give it to your daughter...she certainly takes after you" he taunted sardonically. Minato, my father snarled at him. "You would know _Kyuubi_, he snarled 'you're the one who took her from me and Kushina! That's a transgression I will not overlook so lightly!"

Kyuubi rolls his eyes before returning his gaze back to Sasuke. "I see you finally achieved your goal. You managed to dig your claws into my lovely neice. Did you finally bore of that obsequious wench?" he drawled. Sasuke growled gripping me tighter against him.

I shudder involuntarily. My mind was racing a million miles a minute. I had just finally gotten my life in my hands. I got my father back, a fiancé, and a chance for a better life than that I have led since I was a baby. For those who are completely confused. It is best to go back to go back to the beginning of this twisted tale and how I Naruko Namikaze went from gypsy princess to fugitive to prospective bride.

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Like it so far? Stay tuned for more. Celestialfae, out.


	2. The Prince

**Tell me you all enjoyed the first bit. I know it was a tad short but I intended for that to happen. I told you as time passes this will all make sense. I will do my best to stay true to the time period that takes place while staying true to the Naruto plot. There will be minimum character bashing for obvious reasons, totally cliché. IF you insist on bashing someone, at least actually find a reason to and not just because it is for the readers's interest. You don't like someone, go read another story.**

**I will base this lightly off the Hunchback of Notre Dame. The story was written by Victor Hugo in the 1831 to discuss the injustices of the French justice system. This story will have the same context; executions will be rampant. Sasuke will play both the role of Phoebus and Gringoirre, the poet; he will be arrogant yet still hold genuine feelings for Naruko. Naruko will be referred to as 'Naru' and play the part of gypsy princess but will not be so obsessed with looks as fictional counterpart. As for the villains, Danzo and Madara will play the roles of both Claude Frollo and Jehan, his younger brother. There will be a hunchback though he will play no larger role in this. That is all I have to say for now except to read and enjoy. Be sure to give constructive not destructive criticism.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. Music will be mostly from Loreena McKennitt and gypsy customs as well.**

**Warnings: some language, religious references, Ino bashing, some yaoi, and slight hints of torture in later chapters. That is all for now.**

**Chapter 1: The Prince **

For centuries, people have said that the stars in the sky were links to one's destiny to another. Others say that stars could grant wishes to wide eyed innocents who were of pure heart and innocence. Some philosophers even say that every few stars would hold within them a story. Yet over time, the world and its creatures began to change dramatically. People who were once filled with hope of simplicity and peace became consumed by greed, pride, selfishness, prejudice, and cruelty. Yet, in all this there are still those who still manage to keep their hearts pure in spite of their trials. And ultimately find a soul mate with which to share in such. Our story is about those two souls and their many perils. And it all begins with a festival.

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Town of Konoha in the 1620's…

The town of Konoha lit the starry night sky with the decorations for the night's festival. People hurried to and fro to prepare for the festivities; close down shops, secure their houses for the night, sweep roads, burn any garbage or debris that littered the cobblestone streets, dress up in layers, etc. Midday dimmed down to twilight as a whole parade of wagons began to pile toward the town center.

October the 10th was a special holiday for the citizens as it marked the anniversary of the defeat of the greatest catastrophe by the last known Hokage: Hashirama Senju **(1). **Since then, Konoha and all its citizens have been ruled by a long line of just rulersand monarchs. Eventually a bad apple of sorts will come up and cause ultimate damage to an entire lineage's good name. More on that will be told later. That was a long time ago and now the town was owned and managed by the wealthy Uchiha Family. They served as both police officials and court magistrates in the area. Serving beside them was the church. Under their watchful gazes, nothing went unchecked or unseen. As everyone in town already knew. For years, it was a written agreement between the church and the Uchiha's to allow a festival to be held in the village square, as it brought in tourist and commerce. Without such, the village itself would be unable to function as normally. Like all places still, Konoha had its fair share of problems.

The wagons piled in a half circle format around the church podium. The doors opened releasing all the performers to set up their booths and stands for the stunts and performances that would be take place; fire breathing, fortune and storytelling, juggling, puppet-shows, jewelry selling, and the best one of all, dancing. All of them were dressed up in the wildest, most colorful costumes. Everyone in the town square all stared in awe and wariness. For you see, aside from performers they were also known by another name: GYPSY. The name itself brought out feelings of curiosity, admiration, caution, and distrust. Various townsfolk feared to even step foot near one of them for often times justifiable fears of being robbed blind. Still, it did not stop them from enjoying themselves. More so, since the knights are there to keep a watch on things. Accompanying them was the crown prince himself, Sasuke Uchiha.

He was currently patrolling the streets along with four of his family's trusted guards: Kakashi, Iruka, Genma, and Raido. The prince was of tall build (6'2"), alabaster skin, short dark hair that spiked up in the back, black eyes that could turn crimson with anger, and a black glass ring crown upon his head. He donned on him a fancy black V-neck shirt that fitted his upper body like Velcro (A/N: drools), and matching pants and boots. On top of his outfit was a metal breastplate and shoulder guards with his family symbol on the front. His helmet was held in one arm with a sword on the hilt. His guards wore the same apparel. A low growl left his lips when the shrill sounds of the village maidens cried out

"SASUKE-KUN! You're so handsome! Marry me! No me! As if! It is me he will marry!"

More cries from the girls continued on ignored. Iruka, a pony tailed brunette man with a scar perched atop his nose smiled sympathetically to Sasuke and reared his horse beside Sasuke. He knew in spite of being older, he had to tread carefully for Sasuke was the master's son and any offense taken against the prince was an offense to the royal family.

"My Lord, he whispered kindly, I know this is not an ideal situation you'd like to deal with but at least try to bear with it, just for one night. Then it will be over". A "hn" was the only response.

"You would think all these sluts would back off. Considering I am now engaged to Duke Inochi's daughter, Ino. My marriage to her will ensure our two families a great bloodline for years to come", he boasted prideful.

Iruka turned his eye back to the other knights with upturned lips in grimace. They knew first hand that when Sasuke spoke of her it was not the love filled sentence one would speak when talking about a lover or a wife. It was one of loathing. They all met Ino beforehand. She was no doubt very beautiful. But she was also proud, arrogant, spiteful, mean-spirited, spoiled and cruel. Anyone who was anyone knew that no good could come out of such a union.

"But Sasuke, Iruka spoke again, if there is a chance that…well maybe, if you find that special someone you l…I mean admire, someone who doesn't just see your wealth, your looks, or your family name…perhaps maybe you might even find love…" Iruka faltered when Sasuke blazed his red eyes on his being.

"Love, Iruka?" he laughed sardonically. Love is nothing more than some shallow human emotion. It pulls unsuspecting humans, specifically men into its unyielding grasp only to strip them of all their pride and every coherent thought. _Love_ is also something used by women to to rob them blind and leave them out to hang and dry when they finally have no more use of them. It is safe to say, Umino-san, that will never happen to me. Now no more of this or I will have you demoted!"

With that Sasuke separated from the rest of the troupe. Iruka sighed sadly. A hand landed on his shoulder gently. He smiled realizing it was his lover, Kakashi. The man had spiky white hair, a green masks covering half of his face, and a visible brown eye. Yet he could see the faint outline of a reassuring smile on his face. Iruka placed his tanned hand on top of the pale one.

"Don't worry about it, RuRu (Kakashi's affectionate nickname for him), Sasuke is still young and doesn't know what he wants. But sure enough, he will find himself that one girl who will make him turn to mush and want him to sweep her off her dainty little feet and make passionate love all through the night and" he was quickly interrupted by a hand over his concealed mouth.

"Alright, that is quite enough. But thank you anyway. It's good to know I have you there to make everything all better even when it isn't. Thank you" Iruka whispered and hung his head which almost touched the other's forehead. They were quickly brought out of their moment by a gruff snort. They flipped around and saw it was Raido.

**(2)** "Ugh! Come on you two. We have a festival to stand watch over and an entire civilian population to guard. And unless you want to explain to the king why our job is not being done, I suggest you cut the lovey-dovey session and get your asses moving!" Raido galloped past them. As he left, all the knights nodded to one another and went to do just as they were ordered lest they incur Raido's wrath.

* * *

Separating from his idiotic knights did little to quell the anger that Sasuke felt. The nerve of Iruka, how dare he spout off his nonsense about marrying for love and what-not. He was willing to bet his bottom dollar that the scarred man's train of thought was all because of Kakashi. Only a few knew of their late night "activities". In this town it was forbidden and taboo for people of the same gender to be together or partake in said activities for it was punishable by death. Sasuke shook his head off. He too long ago believed strongly in the prospect of love as a young boy only to get hurt terribly in the end.

Sasuke's P.O.V

"Never again", I vowed under my breath. I pulled my cloak tighter around my body to keep the cold wind out. I swore silently and reared my horse back toward the church center where a bonfire was held. I galloped slowly through the festival grounds being careful not to run over any children or unsuspecting traveler on the way. A sigh of relief passed my lips upon spotting the familiar red glow of a fire. **(3)** I prodded Mangetsu to tread forward. To my frustration, my path has been blocked by a circle of civilians. I tied Mangetsu to one of the stocks and pulled the hood of my cloak to conceal my face. No need to attract unwanted attention. With great difficulty, I pushed and shoved my way through the crowds ignoring the dirty stares in the process. Finally, I made my way to the front only to spot a strange man there. His entire wardrobe was green: green shirt, green pants, an a green cloak, accompanied with boots and orange legwarmers. He had a black bowl cut. What made him even more horrendous to behold was that abnormally shining smile on his face and those bushy black eyebrows.

"My youthful friends! Tonight my stupendous troupe of performers will present you all with a show that has never been done in a lifetime. It will have dancing, music, and the finest collection of youthful beauties the likes no one has ever laid eyes upon", he stated with a wink. Half the men in the crowd chuckled. I rolled his eyes in disgust. Don't half these man have wives or something?

"I could also attest to that as well, Might Gai" a smooth voice spoke all of sudden causing the circle to disperse.

A hush fell over the area. The man walked past the spectators with a great air of charisma and power. No one could see his face as he had a kitsune-style mask over it though it still made him handsome; long crimson hair that flowed down to his lower back and was tied up in a low ponytail. His shirt was a deep shining burgundy color with intricate floral designs at the front, his pants were a deep silk that ended at his knees, and matching boots to compliment the outfit. Over it was a deep red cloak held together with a golden clasp that looked strangely enough like a golden fox. Anyways, the man in question stepped into the middle of the circle just a few feet from the burning flames. They all knew who he was; the Gypsy King, Kurama. He was known for being suave as well as handsome and intelligent. Yet he was also reputed to be conniving, manipulative, greedy, and dangerous. Especially when someone crossed him.

"Like my assistant Might Gai said," he stated with false saccharinity, "in charge of the dance tonight is none other than my own flesh and blood" he stated causing a murmur to erupt. Never in all his years did he ever mention to having a relative of any sort. He coughed into his gloved hand. Once again he had the people's attention. "Tonight, she will be performing the fabeled Kyuubi Fire Dance". He paused a minute. Everyone stilled in apprehension. Even I was curious. Introducing to you all is the lovely, talented, and my beloved niece….Naruko!

Once again the crowd parted allowing a parade of streamers, banners, musicians and dancers into the circle. Kurama and his exuberant crier had departed the circle seconds earlier. I crossed my arms watching the gypsies get into their specific formation for the performance they would enact tonight. I yawned in boredom. This had better be worth freezing my ass off for. Just then my dark eyes spotted a most spectacular thing. No not a thing. It was a gypsy woman. If I had to guess this was the niece Kurama spoke so proudly of. Like her uncle she too wore a kitsune-styled masks except it was orange and the eyes were lined with red glitter. Her blond hair flowed down her back in a waterfall leaving two long strands tied in braids on the side of her face. Her skin was a deep bronze color, I am sure. Her garb consisted of a tight red sleeveless top that ended just above her navel with a jewel at the center of the collar. Her skirt was stranger still, I mean the inner layer was a red silk color while the top layer was pleated and made to look like nine orange fox tails with white tips at the end. Was that supposed to be cute or something? On top of her head was a pair of orange fox ears. Something glinted off around the clavicle. Sasuke lifted his hood a little just to see what it was. He saw it was a turquoise diamond necklace. Around her ankle and wrist, were gold bracelets with rubies on them. In her hands was a tambourine with a red sash attached.

My face grew warm. This girl certainly was more beautiful than that shrew he was forced to tolerate. Hell, she was more beautiful than the other dancers combined. Wait, what am I saying? Sure she intrigued me. But still, she was just a gypsy woman. Not to mention a commoner. Yet still, what was it about her that made him want to get to know her more? Suddenly Naruko stepped into the middle with the others surrounding her. She held her arms out wide, tambourine in hand. She placed a smile on her face. The music began to play and thus began the dance.

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**That is the first chapter. I was happy to have gotten some reviews for this story. I have to see this next one was a pain to write. Still, I did say I would attempt to stay true to the characters with slight liberties. I only know a bit about gypsy culture from what I have seen on TV and the movies. Otherwise I get most of it from H.O.N.D. Sasuke is a bit of a bastard but that will only be a temporary thing. Also his stance on love will be explained in later chapters and his unwillingness to trust anyone. I have decided to bash Ino even though I detest bashing of any characters. However for the sake of this story, I will make Ino to be a slight antagonist and cause trouble for Sasuke and Naruko. Next chapter, I will do Naruko's P.O.V. and the dance, she and her troupe do. This is all I have to say until I return from a camping trip to the mountains with my sister. Au revoir, for now.**

**Chapter Footnotes:**

** 1. Hashirama Senju will be made into a pope or saint that took down the monster everyone fears and loathes. **

** 2. Raido isn't homophobic. He is just really strict about his duties.**

**3. A name for Sasuke's horse. Also is the name of Suigetsu's brother.**


	3. The Gypsy Princess

**I am back with this story and I want to thank you all for having been so patient with me. Understand I do indeed have a life outside of fanfiction or any other non-computer related things. I am glad this story is hitting off so well. I was sort of worried it wouldn't. Now I can put those fears to rest. Rest assured this will not turn into some cliché gypsy/knight themed romance novel. I hate clichés. The reason this story took so long to update was because my computer battery had gone bad and had to get a brand new one. So now, its back on and I can proceed with updating my stories.**

**Now all of you are wondering why I have portrayed certain characters the way I have. I want all of you to drop the Disney version of Victor Hugo's characters from your head as I will be sticking to the novel, with liberties added. Some will even be O.C. to an extent. Here is why:**

**Sasuke as Phoebus: In the first couple episodes of the anime, Sasuke had shown to be something of a megalomaniac and arrogant. He has only ever shown some of his soft side to Naruto. Like Phoebus with his looks and charisma, he serves as both a foil and a love interest to Esmerelda. They also both betray the main characters at some point, not caring whether they die or not. Sasuke's distrust of people will be explained and his desire to use women for his own personal uses. That will be undone in later chapters.**

**Naruko/Naru as Esmerelda: I have mixed feelings on Esmerelda. As a teenager, she is none too sure of what she wants just lets her heart rule over her head. She starts off as good-natured, wistful, and bit airheaded. Her personality shifts 180 when Phoebus is mentioned and she will lash out at anyone who speaks ill of him. Examples vary as far as lashing out ungratefully to Quasimodo for failing to "retrieve" Phoebus for her even though the latter had no more thoughts toward her. Naruko will be tad more focused on trying to find herself and not all that keen on relationships due to a somewhat sheltered upbringing by her uncle. She will still maintain some of Esmerelda's persona save for the lack of superficialism.**

**Ino as Fleur de Lys de Gondelaurier: Ino in both anime and manga has portrayed the archetype for the classic blonde bimbo. Like the character, she can be rather shallow, jealous, and catty. Fleur sees Esmerelda as competition due to her exotic looks in comparison to her own and does what she can to undermine her. I have mentioned before I am not an Ino-basher. I just thought Ino would fit the part as the deuterogamist; not significant but still important to the plot of the story. She will not die mind you, just not part of the picture for long.**

**Iruka and Kakashi as Pierre Gringoire: For me, Pierre showed true promise in the novel. He was one who while not a true hero, but one you could count on when times got rough. Even though the said man abandoned Esmerelda quickly during the battle; willingly or not. I always pictured Iruka to be that sort of person; like when he protected Naruto from Mizuki's attack. So I figured he will make the perfect confidant of sorts. As for his relationship with Kakashi, they will continue having a secret relationship. But what should happen if the secret lets out?**

**Danzo and Madara as Frollo: At first Frollo spurns Esmerelda as a witch for the sole reason she is a gypsy. Shortly after, he develops an albeit inappropriate infatuatioin for the young girl. I decided on having Danzou play the archdeacon of the church and Madara as being the head councilman to the Uchiha Family. Both are power-hungry and corrupt yet will try to show an air of kindness and piety to those within the church and their social groups. Outside, the will treat others with contempt and disgust. Like the Frollo in the novel, their infatuation for Naru will come to light.**

**And finally last but not least**

**Kurama as King Clopin: The novel version of Clopin is more subdued but quite dangerous. I thought he would be perfect for the part. Human or not he still retains his persona; shrewd, cunning, dangerous, and sharp figuratively and literally. His relationship with Naru will be explained in full detail as the story goes.**

**That is all for now. Enjoy and read.**

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**Chapter 2: The Gypsy Princess**

Naru's P.O.V.

The sun's rays dwindled to almost nothing as the sky grew dark. I sigh despondently as I help my caravan to pack away the last of the equipment before heading off to yet another new land. Our leader says it is far too risky to stay in one place for fear of the authorities seizing them or selling us off into slavery. It has been that way for as long as I can remember. Alas, I am getting ahead of myself. My name is Naruko or "Naru" for short. I am part of a performing troupe or gypsy caravan if you prefer known as _**The Jinchuurikis**_. I will explain more on that later. First I must tell you more about myself. In two days, I will have turned 17 years old which is on October the 10th in a new place that our leader refuses to name just yet. I have long blond hair that reaches the back of my calves when not tied up, blue eyes that put the sky to shame, and deep bronze skin. On my face are three whisker marks on each side of my face, my eyes are nearly cat-like with long lashes, and pink plush lips. That is what I have been described by many men who in the past wished to court me including some male members of my group. As I said before, we are to travel to brand new place I have never been before.

Our leader who is also my uncle, is named Kurama. He is my last remaining relative or so he says. I have never met my other family for I am an orphan. He has long red hair that reaches his lower backside with bangs swept to the side of his face nearly covering his eyes, equally deep blue eyes and golden brown skin. The very rare times that he smiles, you could even see fangs. Over all he has the appearance of a fearsome fox if in human form. He is not one you wish to reckon with unless you have a death wish. I learned that all too many times the hard way in the past. Back to the story at hand, I just finished packing away the last of the decorations. I am all too curious as to the mysterious place he mentions to us all. I will have to ask him later.

"Naruko-hime" an exuberant voice called out to me. I rolled my eyes as the source of the voice. I spot Rock Lee, a boy relatively my age with a black bowl cut, with large round eyes and caterpillar eyebrows dressed in a skin-tight green suit. "Naruko-hime, your uncle sent me to come retrieve you. He wishes to discuss with you the details of our next mission" he informs me in a formal matter. I wish he didn't though. Although I suppose that is expected, with me being the niece of the theif king. I nod before marching over to the wagon that houses my leader and remaining family member. I knock three times on the door. All I get as a response is a gruff "come in". I open the door and step into the carriage. Kurama spins in his seat to face me. A deadpanned expression is all that is seen.

"Ahh Naruko, just the person I wished to see". I resist the urge to roll me eyes. He sees me every other day. I keep quiet about it though, it would most likely get me the back of his hand. "You wanted to see me about something, uncle?" I ask him in a respectful manner. Kurama nods. "I am aware that two days from now you will be celebrating your 17th birthday", he says rather than ask. I nod. "Well, I thought it over and have decided this year, you will be celebrating it in that place you have wanted to go to since you were six years of age….", a pensive silence then, " our next performance will take place in Konoha" he says finally. My eyes go wide in disbelief. Was he serious? Of all the places he could have chosen, the one place he always made sure to avoid. "Why now? You always made sure to avoid that place. Why that town?" I asked him. His eyes become hard. "Nevermind the reason", he snaps. "Besides, I figure the pickings there are plentiful and ripe for the taking. Plus, if the chance be, we can use your looks to distract the guards if needed" he said casually. I frown at that statement. "So be ready to leave because we have a long journey ahead of us" he ordered. I bow before him. Just as my hand touched the knob my uncle speaks again. "Oh and Naruko…be grateful for the opportunities you've been given. Were it not for me, you and everyone else in this troupe would be out on the streets, begging for scraps like petty beggars or worse". I nod not daring to face him. I leave the wagon and help the others pack the rest.

That night, I struggle to find sleep. It has become filled with trepidation and excitement for the wonders I have yet to see.

Two days later…

Our group travels through deserts, forest, rocky plains with little to no resistance. We stop for nothing save for restocking on water or tending to broken merchandise. I of course am sitting inside my wagon window with two other women. Finally we leave the forest into the lit city of Konoha. I gasp in awe at all the sights and sounds. The entire village was alight with the sights and sounds of a festival. It was more beautiful than I could have imagined. According to my troupe, it is the time honored tradition known as the "Kyuubi Festival". I only heard stories from nannies and the older women. We wheel to an open square located in front of the church. I grimace for churches never meant good things to a gypsy. It usually led to persecution, public flogging, torture, or death. Alas, I am still glad to have finally seen the village with my own eyes. The wagons stop in mid circle. I stretch happily finally glad to be able to touch bare ground. I jump outside ignoring the indignant cries of the two women I was traveling with. I see some of the decorations are already set up. What can I say? We move fast.

"Enjoying yourself, Naruko-_hime_" a mocking voice cajoles me. I whip around to face a red haired female with long red hair that is neat on one side but messy on the other (weird if you ask me). She is one of the girls performing with me tonight. "Oh, hello Karin-_san" _I retort back icily. The bitch smirks at me. "You better prepare yourself tonight, there will be lots of people watching you. I would _hate_ for you to slip up. Especially on your very own birthday" she said in a sickly sweet voice that was tinged with acid. I clench my fist trying hard not to pounce on the obstinate wretch. Before I could tell her off, a voice from above saves the day. Or should I say someone. "Karin-san, stop bothering Naruko-hime and get back to preparations". Karin sends a death glare in the direction of another girl, with long pink hair, pale skin, and light green eyes and a thin frame. "Why don't you make me Sa-ku-ra" Karin mocks. Sakura as she is so named cracks her knuckles. "I won't but I sure as hell don't want to be around when Kurama comes around. And you know what he does to people who don't fulfill their duties" she warned. Karin paled knowing she was right. The red haired wench stopped to glare at me hatefully. "I shall retreat for now. Until next time, hime" she bowed resentfully. She walks away hips swaying back and forth.

I roll my eyes at the gesture. Like that is going to attract men to her. I give a grateful nod of thanks to Sakura, one of my best friends since early childhood. We both shared our dislike of Karin. At first I thought her dislike of me was because of her belief that I was spoiled because I was Kurama's niece. It was later on from Sakura that I learned it was actually jealousy because of I was more beautiful and received more attention from the male gypsies than she did. The same could be said for most of the gypsy women. Luckily for me for Sakura not being so petty. A light chuckle interrupts us. We both smiled at the intruder. It was Tenten, another one of the female dancers. She had tan skin though lighter than mine, her chocolate brown hair was in two buns atop her head, she was in a Chinese style top and pants, and had equally brown eyes. Aside from being a dancer, she was also a weapons expert. And to top it off, very friendly. "I see you two got another bad taste of Karin, she joked. Someone really should put her in her place. The question is why don't you, Naruko?" I shrug involuntarily. Tenten unlike the others never addresses my name in any suffixes or formalities. That is also the reason she is one of my dearest friends. I don't know what I'd do without her. "So are you ready for tonight?" Tenten asked. "Yes…and then again not really" I answer shakily subconsciously twirling a strand of hair.

"Well, don't feel too badly. Besides it's your birthday today. That means you'll be the reigning star for this performance. The very same one you've been preparing for since we were all babies" Tenten and Sakura nodded at me encouragingly. "Don't fret, you wont be out there alone, they emphasized laughingly. I sighed knowing they were right. I smiled widely at them. I put up a fist and smile determinedly. "Alright girls, let's say we get some practice before the festival starts, I suggest. With that, all three of us went about our ways to prepare for our gig. Somehow, I knew that this year was sure to different than the ones before.

* * *

Normal P.O.V. (The Festival)

After last minute practice for her performance, Naruko used those few minutes to rest up a bit. It felt good to be able to just rest and do nothing. How she wished her uncle Kyuubi could understand that. But alas it was not to be. Not with him. It was always about business and the welfare of the entire caravan that mattered. There was little time for "distractions". And by distractions he meant feelings and what-not. It made people weak and easy to get taken advantage of, as he quoted it. Still, this did not keep the blonde-haired female from hoping for that certain someone. As she mulled over her thoughts, a booming knock on her door interrupted her.

"So much for a short rest" she sighed combing her fingers through her hair. She opened the door to let the visitor in. It was little surprise to find Kurama at the door and handed her a bunch of fabrics that she could only configure to be her costume. "I want you to report to the women's tent in no less than thirty minutes. By the way, Tsunami fixed your costume and accessories for you" he stated handing me the objects. She bowed to him gratefully. "Tell her I said thank you" I asked him. He rolled his eyes. "You can tell her yourself after the festival" he said in a matter-of-fact voice. **(1)** Wasting no time, I head on over to the tent where the assistants help her and her dancing group put on their costumes, make-up, accessories, and instruments via, tambourines and finger cymbals. Once I am finished being pampered upon I look at myself in the mirror, failing to see that the person staring back at me is indeed me

(A/N: Look to Chapter 1 for description)

My troupe which five from our female band include: Sakura, Tenten, Karin (yuck), Sasame, and Isaribi. All of them were dressed in sleeveless mid-drifts that showed their navels, long flowing skirts down to their ankles, and different assortments of jewelry adorning them, and masks covering their face. In their hands were; tambourines, finger-cymbals, or sashes. Naruko stood up before them for an announcement.

"All right listen, you all know what tonight is about" she stated earning several nods save for a roll of the eyes from Karin. "Tonight, we perform the dance we have all but practiced for months now. We must do what we can to make our audience proud and show them what we are capable of. Come what may, I am proud to have had this opportunity to participate in this with all of you. And hope to do many more with you after. Now lets go knock em' dead". I finish my speech by putting my kitsune-masks on. The other girls did the same, except theirs were different. A loud voice boomed directing their attention to the open flap. All the girls rolled their eyes. Good old Might Gai, they all thought sarcastically. He was spouting off about youth and the upcoming dance. Naruko flinched when her uncle stepped in and took over. Leave it to Kurama to never stay in the shadows for too long.

"Tonight she(Naruko) will be performing the fabeled Kyuubi Fire Dance. A hush fell over the crowd outside. Then their cue. "Introducing to you all is the lovely, talented, and my beloved niece…Naruko!" I step outside the tent followed by the others. I step into the middle where the girls surround me like a flower. I lift up my arms into the air, tambourine in hand with a red sash attached. I breathe in letting out a loud sigh. The music begins to play thus signaling us to dance.

(Music playing: Beltaine Fire Dance by Loreena McKennitt)

The music started out in a slow tempo but gradually began to pick up. The dancers followed suit. Each girl surrounding Naruko moved in then back out again, like a flower blooming and closing. The sashes all flowed around her like a ring of fire. Naruko threw her tambourine in the air then did a back flip and catching it before it fell. This earned her shouts and squeals of approval and excitement. Sakura switched sides with Tenten, Karin with Sasame, and Isaribi with Naruko, each swaying, twirling, spinning, and tapping as they went before returning to their former spots. Then came the climax. The girls dissipated from around her leaving the _star_ to take stage. As the music slowed down, she hung her head as if in meditative prayer. Then she lifted her head and dashed for the podium. There she did some forward and backward flips before doing a half-split and flipping her hair to the side (A/N: like what Esmerelda did in the feast of fools) and winking at the audience. Then she picked up a spear that was conveniently placed near one of the rafters and stuck it in the wood where she spun around it a few times and sliding down in a V-stance. More cheers and whistles (mostly men) sounded out. The music slowed down signaling it was almost over. She picked up her tambourine and walked gracefully back to her previous post where she grabbed the colorful sashes thrown her way where they closed in on her.

The dance ended and at this point almost everyone was cheering. Almost everyone. From the shadows a pair of eyes stared contemptuously at the lascivious scene in front of him. More so at the masked blonde woman. He would have to bide his time for now to make his appearance. After all, she hadn't done anything…yet. For now he had to wait. Not knowing this, the six girls all bowed before the audience and went to go collect coins from any who were willing to give. Naruko did not join in as she had one last performance to do. She stood up straight only to find herself looking into deep black eyes. The owner had "duck butt" shaped ebony hair, pale skin, and a dark cloak adorned on him. He appeared to be her age if not much older. For a moment, the two youngsters stared at one another. Even with the mask on, the male could see the faint outline of sapphire through the jeweled eyes of her mask. The girl too was fascinated until she remembered her final task. Sure enough, this was a predestined meeting. Where would it lead them? Time would surely tell.

* * *

**Another chapter completed. I am certain this was longer than I intended. I hope you enjoyed it none the less. As you can tell, Kurama does not have that lovey-dovey relationship with his niece. Naruko both fears and loves him as he is both her uncle and her leader. You have seen some of the characters thus far and more. I hope you liked the dance sequence. I told you before that most songs would be by Loreena McKennitt and others. There will be more on later times. Enjoy and review**.


	4. The Unexpected Arrangement

**I have returned with another chapter for all of you. Are you liking the story so far? Do you believe it could be done in some way. Comments are appreciated. Halloween is coming up and I am looking forward to hearing about the awesome costumes people are going to wear. On a side note, did you know that Izuna Uchiha, Madara's brother has the same birthday as Naruto. Is it strange coincidence? **

**Disclaimer: Misashi Kishimoto is the sole owner of Naruto and all its corresponding merchandise. The story and its liberties however belong to me. All historical inaccuracies will be ignored for the sake of the story plot. Thank you.**

**Warnings: religious references, anti-gypsy feelings, O.C. characters, and inaccurate depiction of gypsy culture.**

**Chapter 3: The un-expected arrangement**

* * *

Normal P.O.V.

The crowd hushed as Naruko stepped away from her troupe and held both her hands up. No sound was made save for the ding of coins hitting the inside of the dancers tambourines and the occasional word of 'thank you' from them. Naruko folded her arms behind her and made her announcement.

"I want to thank you all for your generous support and for your kind encouragement to continue future presentations. But before my troupe and I retire, I have one last act to carry out". Swiveling on her feet she clapped her hands three times. Suddenly there was a plethora of screams and yelps as something soft and orange blurred past their legs. The crowd gasped as they looked in awe of the strange creature before them. Some gasped and made to break for it. The creature was a small fox the size of a miniature dog, with sleek orange fur, reddish-brown eyes with black rings, and to add to its unusual appearance, were nine long tails behind its back with white tips that rolled up into half moon circle formation.

"What is that thing?" one woman screeched.

"Is that Kyuubi in the flesh? Figured it be much…bigger?" a man queried to another.

From the shadows, the archdeacon leered at the arrival. _This witch must have used her craft to bring back the accursed beast and have managed to tame it. I can't be too sure though. I will need further proof before I can make any accusations._

"There is nothing to fear my fellow villagers. **(1)** This here is KonKon. He is a rare breed of fox unknown to parts of the world. His many tails are of the result of a genetic defect that come in every few generations or so. He is the smartest fox in the world and it brings me with pride to show you various examples of his talents", she proclaimed with pride. In the crowd, Sasuke snorted. "Like a fox really could be taught tricks".

Naruko knelt down beside KonKon. She took her hand and held it out for him to sniff. The fox sat up straight. "KonKon, what time is it?" she asked him sweetly. Lifting up his tails, he took each one and smacked the ground about seven times causing it to echo. An echo of cheers was the result. The crowd gasped. The fox was right, it was 7:00. Naruko asked KonKon another question.

"KonKon, how many colors of the rainbow are there?" she asked again. This time KonKon smacked the ground six times. Another echo of cheers erupted. Although, not everyone was impressed. people began to whispered amongst themselves at the otherwise "shameless' spectacle.

"Don't clap so loud, it wasn't that good" a woman snidely laughed. "Does she honestly expect everyone here to believe in that whole genetic defect nonsense?" an elderly man scoffed. More scoffs and jeers were whispered amongst the crowd. The archdeacon who heard all this was pleased. At least some of these people were not misled by that harlot and her medium. Too bad, he didn't know that most of the snide comments were made from jealous women. But alas, Naruko wasn't done yet. A sly smirk passed her lips and faced the crowd.

"And KonKon, show us all how the archdeacon prays?" KonKon stood on his four hind legs. He tilted his head back and let out some howls and barks and squeaks, bobbing his head up and down all the while. The crowd lost it there. Everyone but a few guffawed at the hilarious show. Even the young prince was finding it hard to keep his laughter in check. Unfortunately, not everyone was in such good spirits.

"Enough! Enough of this blasphemy!" the laughter stopped as the archdeacon stepped from the shadows of the cathedral. The crowd dissipated to let the man through. The vexed man was none other than the archdeacon himself, Danzo Shimura. The man was in his elderly years, his 60's to be precise. His aged face had a bandage on one side of his head concealing his beady black eyes, short gray hair atop his head, and his posture held a slight limp. He was in his priest robes and rosary cross around his neck.

"How dare you insult this church with this witchcraft? Do you not know it is a sin to practice the Devil's dance on holy ground?!" Naruko glowered at him.

"Last time I checked, the village square was for public use and not under ownership of the church" she retorted indignantly folding her arms so. The crowd watched nervously watching the two stare one another down. The archdeacon smirked.

"True, the public square is indeed for the use of festivals and celebrations once a year to commemorate the defeat of the accursed demon that ravaged our lands so many years ago. "But, he smirked, "we also use the square for public witch burnings. Care to volunteer?" Naruko mouth opened agape at the appalling request. She was about to retort back to the obstinate bastard when a hand made its way to the archdeacon's shoulder. Danzo turned his head to face whoever dared to lay a hand upon him (No homo). The crowd gasped in fright when they saw the new arrival.

The man's name was Madara Uchiha. He was head councilman to the Uchiha's several decades running but still kept his handsome appearance. His long black hair spiked along his back with one long bang hung over his left eye, he donned a dark fancy clothes with a large black jacket hung over them and a pair of boots. Over his shirt he donned a suit of armor donning the Uchiha Crest. While Danzou held power over the church and its masses, Madara held the true power and was the predominant authority in the whole of Konoha and ruled the masses with an iron fist. But what he was most known for was his unbridled hatred for the gypsy race. Sasuke felt fear for the poor girl. As bad as Danzou's temper was, Madara's was much worse. And if things escalated any further, the poor girl might find herself in the gallows.

"Danzo", he stated smoothly, "is that truly any way to speak to a woman? After all this is the most sacred time of the year for the village of Konoha. And it is our duty to uphold the sacred truce between my clan and the sacred church to keep true to old traditions. We also must do what we can to show our respect and regards to those who proudly perform before us. Even if those said performers be…_sub-human", _he sneered over in Naruko's direction. The crowd gasped quietly. Naruko growled inwardly fighting the urge to rebuttal that statement. "And to the rest of you", Madara uttered out smoothly, 'I would love to continue to join in the festivities but alas the archdeacon and I have much to discuss for the night. Good night to you all and safe journey" he called out leading the elder man into the church. Out of the corner of his peripheral, he spotted Sasuke in his dark cloak. He smirked. This could prove to be interesting.

A seething Naruko turned to KonKon. "Come now KonKon, perhaps we shall find more _hospitable_ company elsewhere. As much as I would love to stay longer, I have had a long journey and desire some rest. Good night to all of you".

Without another word she swiped up her tambourine filled with coins away with KonKon in tow to one of the wagons. The rest of the performers stayed behind to help out with gathering all the decorations and banners set out for the festival back into their packings. Sasuke was tempted to follow the woman but remembered his horse, Mangetsu. Sasuke left the circle and ran over to unhitch Mangetsu. He was barely able to get a good distance when Madara Uchiha appeared before him. Sasuke rolled his eyes. What half of Konoha didn't know was besides being head of the Uchiha Family Council, he was his uncle from his father's side, several times removed (?).

"Sasuke; what a pleasant surprise seeing you out during the Kyuubi Festival of all things", he answered in a patronizing voice. Sasuke deadpanned. "Madara-sama, I thought you were still speaking to the archdeacon" he replied. "That was something I said to uphold the peace. It wouldn't do well for people to know that our very own archdeacon allowed himself to be incensed by a mere gypsy woman. Imagine the scandal" the councilman yelped.

"By the way, what are you doing out here at this time? I'd figure you would be doing patrol with Kakashi and the rest of the guards" Madara spoke in an inquiring tone. Sasuke sighed. Leave it to Madara to meddle in other people's business. "They were annoying me and plus it was really cold so I saw the bonfire in the middle and thought I'd try to get close for warmth. Unfortunately, all those idiots were blocking me just to watch a bunch of girls in skirts parade around" Sasuke sidetracked the man. Madara pursed his lips. He reckoned there was more to it, but did not push further. He pulled out his pocket watch and stared at it with disinterest.

"Well, my nephew, it's been lovely catching up but I have duties to attend to. I will see you more tomorrow. Do not stay out too long. After all, you never know when those blasted thieves may jump out" he suggested before sauntering away. Sasuke shook his head. He prodded Mangetsu to continue. His mind kept replaying to the masked woman. The last he saw her, she was disappeared into her wagon. And if he was correct, the gypsy band would be camping on the outskirts of the village. And as he and his horse traveled through the town, his need to know more of the gypsy princess grew.

"What do you think Mangetsu? Do you suppose we should check it out?" he asked his hoofed friend. Mangetsu neighed as if to say "sure, why not". Sasuke smirked. "That is just what I was thinking. But perhaps it'd be best if I go alone. If I brought you alone, you might get stolen. I shall make the journey later on". With that the young prince, continued on his way.

* * *

(Few Hours Later)

The streets of Konoha were quiet and lit by overhanging lanterns. The festival had long since ended and everyone had returned to their homes to prepare for tomorrow. Not everyone was asleep however. A hidden figure left the shadows of the alley. **(2) **The figure had a black wide brim hat covering his pale expressions. He donned a black trench coat ending at his ankles, dark boots and dark clothing. He looked both ways to see if anyone was following him before resuming his ways. He walked stiffly down the road. The wind blew softly about him but was still strong enough to blow his hat off. He caught it before it could get out of reach. The person was revealed to be Sasuke Uchiha. He walked down the road some ways before crossing over a bridge. Upon reaching the other side, he stopped.

"Okay, so the gypsy encampment should be somewhere on the outskirts. If I could remember where exactly", he mused quietly. The other side of the bridge was less urban than its counterpart. This was the part where the poorer individuals lived. The west side held the "honest" peasants; farmers, millers, cart holders, and fishermen. The east side was the place he needed to get to. That was where the 'dregs' of society lived; vagrants, paupers, thieves, tramps, prostitutes and gypsies congregated. It was where _she _was. He just needed to find it. He walked a little ways hoping to catch someone who could tell him the location. His peripheral caught hold of a wooden pole with two arrows pointing in opposite directions. He stepped closer to see what the arrows read. One arrow pointed to the west that read as: West District; 15 miles. The other arrow pointed east that read as: East District (a.k.a. Gypsy Village); 10 miles.

"Bingo", he whispered triumphantly. He trotted down the trail with elation unaware that a pair of red eyes was following his every move. Sasuke traveled the road for what seemed like hours. Every so often he would cease his steps each time to catch his breath. He switched his head side to side at slight rustling in the bushes or trees. The moon hung overhead giving the area a rather eerie appearance. Sweat perspired on his brow. In these kinds of places, you never knew what was going to jump out and possibly either maim or attack you. His worries were put to rest when his destination came into range. In an open field, were several wagon trains; possibly from different traveling groups. Large tents were spread out with campfires safely set beside them, clotheslines were tied to branches. Sasuke stepped slowly toward the camp careful not to alert anyone they were there. He wanted to be incognito about this and hopefully catch a glimpse of his target; without her mask on.

He slinked around the outside in the shaded parts to try to find the wagon that housed his target. There was no one outside apparently for reasons unknown. A dark chuckle brought a shiver to his spine.

"Well, that is pretty strange to be wandering around this late at night. Especially, if in the East District of all things" the deep voice mocked. Sasuke swerved his head to the direction of the voice. His eyes locked on to a barely lit figure of a man covered head to toe in rags. He couldn't see his face for it was hidden beneath the fisherman's hat.

"Most people who come here are either suicidal or completely stupid" the stranger laughed. Sasuke glared. He was tempted to tell the man he was neither of those things for he was a prince. However, he kept his mouth shut for it would likely get him killed. Oddly enough, this man reminded him somewhat of his uncle.

"How can you be so sure, that I'm not here just to find a fire to warm up to?" Sasuke bit out sarcastically. The fishermen crossed his lips in a sneer. "That would make little sense since there was one big bonfire at the festival earlier. There was plenty of time to have gotten warm when that was going on, am I correct?" Sasuke pursed his lips unable to find a retort. He wasn't about to tell this vagabond his reason. Sasuke stepped back when the tramp stepped closer. Sasuke reached for his side and unsheathed a large sword that shined in the faint moonlight.

"If you wish to live to see tomorrow, I suggest letting me be on my way and tending to my personal business, he threatened rather vainly due to this shaking posture. The hat-wearing man began to clap sardonically.

"Kudos to you, young man for your bravery. Alas it was indeed very foolish. You come into my camp, snoop around like you own the place, and now you have the complete gall to challenge the Gypsy King". Sasuke stood in shock as the man snapped his fingers and conjured about 30 men holding torches. Sasuke looked about him not undoing his fighting stance while looking around for an escape. Sasuke gave an intense stare to the vagrant. The vagrant shed his rags and hat. In place of a dirty old trump, was the Thief King himself. He stood proudly with lavish dress robes and his long red hair hanging like red silk. Sasuke could clearly see Kurama's eyes; glowing crimson.

"Now that you know where we make our encampment, we can't risk you going back to your hovel and bringing back an army to wipe us all out. Seize him, men" Kurama commanded with a snap of his fingers. Before Sasuke could even blink, his sword was knocked from his hand and both of his arms were seized. He struggled vainly against the onslaught of overly muscular brutes. "Bring him over to the podium for judging" he ordered. Sasuke once again struggled against the men. He gave one last glare at the smirking redhead before being dragged off to his fate.

* * *

The loud ruckus had drawn people out of their abodes. All they knew was that it led up to the podium. The podium was a large wooden stage held up on a wagon. It was known that whenever someone was brought up to the podium, it was rarely for anything good. The entire colony gathered in front to witness who the unfortunate being was. They did not have to wait long when Kurama walked into sight. Kurama stood there smiling and greeted his spectators.

"My people! Tonight's festival was one of the most spectacular happenings if I say so myself!" Claps and applauded were the result. Kurama raised up a hand to silence everyone. "But tonight, we are not here to talk about the festival. It would seem that an intruder has wandered into our midst". The gypsy's began murmured to eachother.

"Is it one of the guards?", a woman shrieked fearfully grasping her baby tightly to her.

"Another poser trying to worm his way into our group, I bet" a man scoffed.

"One of Madara's spies maybe?" a random man asked.

Kurama turned from the questioning audience and gestured into the darkness. From the shadows, the guards forced their cargo onto the stage. He grunted and shoved against the brutes hold attempting to break loose. He was suddenly thrown onto his knees, all the while keeping his hat atop his head somehow. He growled as Kyuubi approached him.

"Everyone, I present to all of you a spy. But this is no ordinary spy, this happens to be a prince from the Uchiha Clan. Sasuke Uchiha to be exact", with that Sasuke's hat was torn from his head exposing him. At that a surplus of reactions; boos, jeers, and angry cat calls. Sasuke returned the treatment with a death glare of his own. Kurama silenced them once again.

"I was tempted to cut him to pieces myself but then I figured I'd leave the circumstances of his fate to you. What say you, shall I execute him immediately or perhaps he should partake in "The Judging?" Once again the crowd was in an uproar wondering if perhaps the redhead had lost his marbles. There was debate amongst the colony for some time before they came to a decision.

"The Judging! The Judging! The Judging!"

Kurama smirked. "The Judging it is then! Bring it out!"

Sasuke was forced to his feet by one of the guards roughly and faced toward the back of the stage. One of the performers brought out a stuffed scarecrow that wore a purple shirt with bells sewn on, and tan pants. Sasuke was about to inquire but was interrupted by the exuberant thief king.

"Now for all you who are unaware of what happens here, it is quite simple. Inside the left pocket of the scarecrow is a grey purse filled with several gold coins. If you manage to sift it out without ringing any bells, you can go free. But', an unsteady pause, 'if you fail; we decide how your execution persist. Do you understand?" Sasuke nodded answering. He refused to give this _barbarian_ the satisfaction of seeing him afraid. A hush fell over the crowd. Some gypsies gave him looks of pity, sadness, disgust or wishes of bloodshed. Sasuke stood before the stuffed doll. "Oh and before I forget, you have to use your left hand only" Kyuubi uttered in. Sasuke gaped wide mouthed at him but reluctantly understood. Taking his left hand he slowly slid into the left hand pocket to reach for the purse. He had to do this carefully. His fingers barely gripped the top of the article and excitedly gripped it completely forgetting about the bells.

Jingle. Jingle. Jingle.

Sasuke gasped realizing his mistake and quickly withdrew his hand. He didn't flinch when Kyuubi replied with smug satisfaction. "You lost". Sasuke sunk down to his knees dejectedly. How could he have been so irresponsible? And for what? Just to satisfy his curiosity about some gypsy girl? Sasuke was seized by the arms once again and held up to his feet.

"Sasuke Uchiha, for failing to complete the task assigned, you shall be put to death", the crowd cheered again as he was led away from the stage and over to a tree with a noose overhanging from the branches. Watching from the shadows, a young woman watched with disgust and hurried over to stop it. Sasuke winced feeling the noose be placed around his neck and forced atop a stump.

"Before I forget, there is a second part to The Judging that I didn't mention. The victim of The Judging has one last chance to save his or her neck", he smirked receiving a glare from the raven. "If any of our women desires to marry you, then your life will be spared and you become an honorary member of our colony". Sasuke spoke again after saying so quiet.

"How can I, a proud member of the Uchiha Clan possibly parade around with gypsies and not bring shame upon myself?" he retorted. Kyuubi leaned his face against his. "Simple, you wear a disguise" he stated as if he were explaining how to churn milk. "What say you ladies? Any takers? A handsome young prince; a wealthy one at that" Sasuke grimaced as he listened to the man parade him off like he was a show horse. God, the humiliation that would follow were anyone to hear of this.

Several women stepped up. Sasuke resisted the urge to gag as they examined him. These were some of the ugliest and filthiest women he had ever seen. One middle aged women stepped up and refused saying he was "too skinny". One women looked up and checked his pockets. She too refused and said "Some prince. He's got no money on 'im". Then a rather haggard looking woman with mushed up make-up stepped up. Sasuke turned away saying "next". The woman 'hmphed' and turned away picking up her dress muttering about "young people having no manners" and such like that. Then three more hideous looking women came up. One had a few teeth missing. Sasuke shivered in revulsion. Kyuubi quickly turned away the three hags. Even he wasn't _that_ cruel to subject the Prince to being married to those slags. More came up but they withdrew, mostly on account of Sasuke's death glare. Finally, one last female came up. He leered at her. He recognized her as one of the dancers from earlier.

Kyuubi greeted her. "Ah, Karin I see you have finally decided to take part". The girl known as Karin ran her fingers through her messy red hair. "Well, back then there was no one 'worthy' of my _taste" _she drawled running one her fingers across her lips in what she perceived in a seductive way. To everyone else, it looked like she was just rubbing a cold sore". She smirked at Sasuke.

"I have decided…I shall have you. We would be perfect for one another. A handsome prince and me the most beautiful gypsy girl in the whole colony" she boasted folding her arms under her barely covered chest. Sasuke gagged. Then he smirked.

"Sorry, but I think those old hags would do better". Everyone burst into laughs. Karin stood there wide-mouthed and humiliated. She quickly recovered.

"Dear prince, she said sweetly, "I think I speak for all here, several scoffed, when I say you have not much of a choice, now. See if not for me, you may as well be married to the ground if you don't agree, she explained in a syrupy sweet voice.

"I'll take my chances with the noose" he said with finality in his voice. Karin sneered at him as she walked away. Kurama shook his head. "Well, then if that be the case then…" she was cut off.

"Wait a minute!" the crowd turned in the direction of the voice. The crowd parted to allow the owner of the voice through. Sasuke's eyes widened when he saw his savior. It was the very person he came looking for. Naruko was out of her festival costume and adorned a black off the shoulder short-sleeved midriff that ended above her navel, a ruffled orange shirt with a slit on her right side and the same golden anklet with red ruby's around her ankle, and black flats on her heels. Her golden hair was up in pigtails. Without her mask, he could now see her eyes; a rich sky blue. Behind her, KonKon trotted in after her; tails erect.

"Naruko, what are you doing out of your wagon?" Kurama demanded. Naruko turned to glare at her uncle. "To stop you from going through with this…abomination you call entertainment", she snarled with disdain. KonKon growled in agreement.

"And as your relative, it is my self-proclaimed duty to stop you when you go too far, which indeed you are. And since I am royalty, as you have so often reminded me; I am obligated to take part in manners such as these". With fluid like footsteps, she approached Sasuke and unhinged him from the noose. She gently grasped his hands. "I shall take him on as my husband" she proclaimed gallantly. Kyuubi stood there seething. "Very well, then", he whispered snarling.

"My niece Naruko has taken the fugitive Sasuke Uchiha as her husband. And as tradition, the couple shall take a vase and smash it onto the floor. The number of pieces shall determine the number of years the marriage shall commence". One of the elders handed Sasuke a medium sized porcelain vase. He looked to Naruko for the go ahead. She nodded. Sasuke lifted it up with both hands and slammed the vase to the ground. The vase cracked into five pieces. A man walked up and counted the pieces.

"The marriage shall last five years!" The crowd cheered once again. The few who didn't included men who wished to court her but never had the courage, jealous women, and those who were angry that their "fun" was stopped. Naruko led Sasuke away to her wagon. Her wagon was far away from the other wagons and surrounded in a thicket of trees and brush. Sasuke noticed that it was also a tad bigger than the others. Naruko opened the door to allow KonKon to enter.

"This is mine and my uncles private wagon. Only a few are allowed to enter unless otherwise called" she explained to him. Once the door closed behind them, Sasuke examined the expanse of the cabin. Suddenly Naruko spun around to face him with a knife in her hand pointed at his heart. Sasuke gulped involuntarily. KonKon crouched down growling in a threatening matter. The girl's personality seemed to turn a 180.

"Why are you here?!" she growled. "Are you a spy for the archdeacon sent here to find out where we lived so you could come back with an army and wipe us all out? OR are you a lecher hoping to get hold of one of our women and satisfy your needs?" she ranted pressing the knife against him more. Sasuke shifted his eyes down to the still growling fox then back to her.

"N-n-now l-let's not get hasty here. I was not here for any of those reasons. In fact, I-I came here..to see you" he explained quickly. Naruko's glare disappeared but still remained doubtful. She pulled back her dagger slowly. **(3)** She put back into her thigh holister. KonKon seemed to calm down like she had and jumped onto the window sill, all the while keeping his eyes on the prince.

"You normally carry a dagger with you everywhere?" he inquired. Naruko blushed putting a strand of hair behind her ear. "Only for protection when I go out. Also if I need to scare off potential rapist" she leered over at him with half-lidded eyes. Sasuke frowned at the insinuation.

"I can assure you that I did not intend to seek you out for that purpose. I saw your dance at the festival and I was completely intrigued. I also thought I'd see the woman without the mask on. And personally…you look much better with it off now that I can see your eyes" he complimented. "Join the club" she deadpanned. Sasuke jumped back affronted. He then noticed something was missing from her. "By the way, weren't you wearing some type of jewel around your neck earlier?" he inquired. Naruko stiffened. She folded her arms behind her back with a blush. "I try not to wear it out in the open, in case someone tries to steal it. It's very important to me after all. It's the last thing I have from my parents". She reached into her skirt pocket (A/N: Yes, the skirt has pockets). She pulled out a black necklace with a blue diamond the size of a pinky. Sasuke peered at the jewel with rapt interest. He couldn't quiet pinpoint it but it looked familiar somehow. Naruko put it back in her pocket.

"See this was given to me by one of the elders as a small child. She told me to keep it with me always and to stay pure and someday it would lead me to my true home. I don't quite know what it means but it may have something to do with my parents. So it is also important that I not be touched by a man" she explained sadly. Sasuke felt himself getting angry.

"Then why did you save me?" he yelled. KonKon sat upright like a cat and growled again. The blonde haired girl snapped her fingers at him to stop him. KonKon bowed his head apologetically and retreated to another spot. Naruko turned from him folding her arms under her ample chest.

"I guess something about you drew me in. Also, I was tired of seeing an innocent person killed for sport", she whispered loud enough for him to hear. Sasuke scratched the back of his head guiltily. Naruko had not meant any harm by doing this. "I must apologize for not finding another way out of this, but unfortunately not even I have enough authority in the world to override gypsy traditions" she told him sadly. "Since it is not set in stone, it is not a true marriage. Also, you more than likely have a fiancée you are engaged to". Sasuke winced. He nodded to confirm.

Naruko turned to him smiling. "Well, prince Sasuke since this is not a set-in-stone marriage; I won't keep you from her or your family. Instead, we can be brother and sister! We can pass eachother on the streets, acknowledge one another in secret, you can tend to your princely duties, and all together avoiding a war. It's perfect!"

"Fair enough" Sasuke concurred shaking her hand in agreement. Sasuke then remembered. "Um, I would prefer to return tomorrow with my sword at my side. I really don't want to have to tell my father that it was nabbed by gypsies". Naruko sighed. "It's pretty late right now. You can stay in one of the guest beds for the night and then I will hand you your sword tomorrow". Sasuke seeing he had no choice nodded. "Wait here, I shall be right back. She disappeared into one of the rooms to go prepare a bed for him. Once she was finished, she ushered him in. Sasuke was impressed by the size of the room. It was not cramped or messy. Considering how big the wagon was, there was definitely room for a bedroom.

"And so, Uchiha-san I bid you a goodnight. If you need me I will be in the room marked with an orange ribbon on the doorknob. Good night" she ushered. Sasuke turned around to greet her likewise. He was blindsighted when he felt pressure on his cheek. Naruko…had…just…kissed him.

"Why did you do that?" he asked. Naruko looked over her shoulder. "I felt like it", she answered truthfully. "Oh and don't worry about KonKon. It takes him a while to get used to strangers. Give it time and he will warm up to you. Good night" she whispered softly before shutting the door. Sasuke sat there on the bed, trying to comprehend what just happened. He lightly touched his cheek. He yawned again. It was too late to think this over. Besides, she was supposed to be his sister, remember? Then, why was he feeling so conflicted right now? Feeling tired, Sasuke pulled the covers over him and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

**This here was based off a chapter from The Hunchback of Notre Dame; where the poet wanders into the Court of Miracles then getting almost executed for failing to pass a test (via the scarecrow) then being saved at the last minute by Esmerelda by entering into a 4-year marriage by throwing a vase on the ground. If it were made of glass, it would have been more than four pieces. **

**An explanation to what happens. Aside from being Thief King, Kurama is also The Gypsy King. Since Naruko is his niece, she is technically a princess and is able to give orders although she is still under Kurama's orders. The other gypsies are part of different groups each with their own oligarchic power setting; elders making some of the settings. Kurama was able to keep in touch with them through letters, messengers, and traveling caravans. Due to his past deeds, he was able to rise through the ranks and become the fearsome leader of the gypsies. It will be explained later. Naruko and Sasuke are just in the beginning phases of their relationship. For both it has to do more with personal reasons. It certainly will not be easy.**

**That is all I have for now. **

**Chapter Footnotes:**

**(1) I heard many names for Kyuubi. This was one of them. After all Esmerelda had her goat, so Naruko will have her fox.**

**(2) Those hats that are flat but hang over the eye a bit. Examples: Van Hellsing (movie), Carmen San Diego, Gambit from X-men**

**(3) You know the devices where people put their guns. Well there is one to put on your thigh as well. Or knives if you prefer.**


End file.
